Piercy Creek Greenway to Become More Green

On Saturday October 5, community volunteers – including TD employees and their families – will help plant native species along the Piercy Creek Greenway, adjacent to the Comox Valley Parkway as part of TD Tree Days.

The event will take place rain or shine from 9 am until noon. Some gloves and shovels will be provided, although people are encouraged to bring their own and to dress for the weather. City staff will be in attendance to show proper planting techniques. Planters are to assemble at the greenway entrance at the southern end of Piercy Avenue. The public is welcome and encouraged to participate in the planting and are invited to register at www.tdtreedays.com .

“This portion of the Greenway is part of a loop that is being steadily developed in west Courtenay,” said Nancy Hofer, environmental planner with the City. “When completed, the greenway loop will connect residents in the southern portion of the City all the way to the Rotary Riverside Trail along the Puntledge River. This will provide a viable active transportation, recreation and even wildlife corridor.”

The Piercy Creek Greenway has benefited from the work of other volunteers in the past. “For a couple years in a row, the Broombusters have been clearing the Scotch Broom along the Greenway,” continued Hofer. “As this is one of the first areas that people see traveling into the City via the Parkway, it’s a great location to get the broom under control and restore with native trees. Removing invasive species is most effective when replacing them with native plants.”

TD Tree Days, TD’s flagship volunteer program, brings TD employees and their families, customers and community partners together to support local forest stewardship. TD Tree Days is part of TD Forests, a major TD conservation program aimed at growing and protecting forested areas and reducing paper use.

Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $60 million in funding to more than 20,000 environment projects across Canada. In 2012, TD FEF provided more than $4.8 million in support of over 1,000 projects. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated funds local environmental projects. For more information on how to donate, visit www.tdfef.com.